As we learn more about neurodiversity, people are starting to get the support and health care they need—and that can include massage therapy.
August 1, 2024
There has been an increase in diagnoses of neurodiversity in recent years, both in children and adults. This increase, at least in part, can be attributed to the fact that science is starting to better understand the various conditions that fall under the neurodiverse umbrella.
The benefit of these advances, of course, is that more people are getting the support and health care they need—and that can include massage therapy.
Researchers wanted to know the effects of parent-delivered traditional Thai massage (TTM) on heart rate variability (HRV) and gait in children with autism.
This 2024 two-armed, randomized controlled trial included 48 children with autism between the ages of seven and 12. Participants were randomly divided between the parent-delivered TTM group and a control group. The control group received no intervention.
The TTM group received twice-weekly sessions that lasted 50 minutes, for a total of 16 TTM interventions. HRV and gait parameters were measured at baseline, at completion of the eight-week intervention and at two months post-intervention.
Researchers found that the TTM group had notable positive effects on HRV, with a significant reduction in low-frequency value and increased high-frequency value when compared to participants in the control group. These benefits remained at follow-up.
Regarding gait, results indicated that only stride length was affected in the TTM group, with participants increasing stride length when compared to the control group. None of the other parameters of gait comparison showed statistical significance.
Parent-delivered Thai massage increased HRV levels and stride length in comparison to the control group, researchers noted, and some effects of the intervention were maintained over the follow-up period.
There is some evidence to suggest that pediatric tuina massage may have beneficial effects on the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including improvements in concentration, flexibility, mood, sleep quality and social functioning.
Researchers want to know: What are the preliminary effects of parent-administered tuina massage for ADHD symptoms in preschoolers, and is this massage protocol feasible?
This 2022 two-arm, parallel, open-label pilot randomized controlled trial included 64 participants randomly assigned to either a parent-administered tuina massage group or a parent-child interaction group. Parents in the parent-child interaction group attended online training about progressive muscle relaxation exercises to be done with their children at home.
Both interventions were carried out every other day for at least 20 minutes for a two-month intervention period.
Outcomes were assessed at baseline, week four and week eight. The Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham parent scale was the primary measure of outcomes. Secondary outcomes measured included preschool anxiety scale, children's sleep habits and parental stress. A mixed-method process evaluation embedded in the outcome evaluation was also performed.
The study design and the parent-administered pediatric tuina massage intervention were feasible, researchers found. Parent-administered pediatric tuina massage provided beneficial effects on improving core hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in preschool children. Parents perceived improvements in children's appetite and sleep quality.
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